


Reality Check

by sarahsharpe1231



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 14:03:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21137897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahsharpe1231/pseuds/sarahsharpe1231
Summary: With time running out, Barry asks Cisco to consider doing a favor for him--something he wouldn't do if he wasn't desperate. (Spec for 6x03/6x04)





	Reality Check

**Author's Note:**

> A LOT of things lead me to write this: the synopses for 6x03-6x05, the photo gallery for 6x04, the fact that The Monitor was IMPRESSED with Cisco's powers (which has had me saying since the Season 5 finale that he would DEFINITELY want that kind of power in play during Crisis), and--probably the thing that has given me BY FAR the most about of hope I've ever had watching a TV show--seeing Cisco suited up as Barry was looking into the future in 6x02. The only thing I've wanted for a week now is for Barry to tell Cisco that he saw that. So...here's the fic where that happens in case Eric flat-out disappoints me.
> 
> Now, to give some context, here's what I believe will happen in 6x05: https://www.instagram.com/p/B3x11r6B-Jq/ This scene would happen BEFORE that happens but AFTER Barry tells the team about his plan should worst come to worst. (Also, if you don't know, the 6x04 synopsis CONFIRMS that Cisco will be trying to find a way to save Barry.)
> 
> Ever since the Season 5 finale aired, I wanted to write a fic where Barry confronted Cisco about his decision (because he told his future self that he was too good of a superhero to lose his powers so I DOUBTED that he'd be okay with it)...but then Grant said at SDCC that Barry and everyone on Team Flash supports it.....so that obviously couldn't happen. Everything the show has given me so far this season has lead me to write the next best thing.
> 
> I PRAY the show does not let me down. Seeing my baby suited back up again is the ONLY THING I'm holding onto until December. I CAN'T see that NOT come to fruition.
> 
> All that being said, ENJOY!!!

When Barry walked into Cisco’s lab, his friend hadn’t even noticed. He was mesmerized by the footage Ramsey had generously supplied them with from his lab. _Another zombie on the loose_, Cisco thought._ Fantastic._

“Hey, man,” Barry said as he made his way behind the desktop. “You okay?”

Cisco paused the video and looked up at Barry.

“Well, I mean, you know,” Cisco said, “there’s no way that hearing that your best friend needs to _sacrifice himself_ to prevent the end of the world doesn’t shake you to your very core but…I’m processing. And when I finish doing that…I’m gonna save your ass. Because there’s no way in hell I’m letting you do this.”

“Cisco, you can’t—“ Barry started.

“I can’t what?” Cisco said, standing up. “Barry, we’ve changed the future before. Do _not _tell me we can’t do it again. Nora _will _grow up with her father this time. You know, even if you for some _idiotic_ reason don’t want me to…she at least deserves the effort. Something tells me Iris would agree with me.”

“Listen, dude, I—I appreciate it,” Barry said as he walked around to the opposing workspace. “I really do.”

Barry looked down and sighed as he tried to gather his thoughts. He knew Cisco was not going to want to hear what he was about to say—again.

“Maybe there is one thing you can do,” Barry said as he met Cisco’s eyes.

“Anything,” Cisco responded.

“Cisco, when I looked into the future,” Barry began, “and I saw _everyone_ dying…I saw you…suited up…”

“What?” Cisco asked.

“Somehow, in two months,” Barry answered, “you have your powers back.”

“Barry, are you sure—“ Cisco spat out.

“Cisco, listen, I trust you,” Barry assured him. “I do. With everything in me. You are…incredibly smart. Seriously, without you, I—I would be gone already. Dude, with or without powers, you are an invaluable member of this team…but something tells me we don’t even have a _chance _of saving the world…without Vibe by our side. If we’re truly facing a threat to the multiverse…you could be our secret weapon.”

“Just like I was supposed to be with DeVoe?” Cisco said bitingly. “Because last time I checked, that was _you, Cecile, _and_ Ralph_. I just stood there. Praying we don’t die while he flung us around like rag dolls. We gave Cicada I the cure. Same with Cicada II—erasing her from existence. We let Thawne go—_again_!”

“What about Savitar?” Barry interjected.

“What about him?” Cisco asked. “All I did was modify the Speed Force Bazooka. That was all you, man. _You _defeated him.”

“No, you know it wasn’t just me,” Barry countered.

Cisco got quiet. He never liked thinking about that night. It brought back some horrible memories.

“Cisco, there’s something I never told you,” Barry said. “When I went to the future to find out Savitar’s identity…I saw you. The thing is…in that timeline, when you were fighting Frost…she froze your hands off. You didn’t have your powers. Iris was dead. The team was broken up—“

“Yeah and that didn’t happen here because H.R. sacrificed himself,” Cisco retorted. “I know. Savitar ran in and stopped Frost before she could do any damage. What’s your point?”

“Man, I told you why H.R. did what he did,” Barry said. “He was inspired by you. _You _saved him when Cynthia was about to take him back to Earth-19 to be _executed_. _He got to live because of you_!”

“_And he died anyway_!” Cisco yelled.

“Yes, but he died _saving the people he cared about_,” Barry reminded him. “And now that I’m facing the same thing…I know there’s no other way I would want to go.”

Cisco crossed his arms and tried his hardest to hold back tears. For H.R. For Barry.

_For Vibe_.

“I’m not giving you an ultimatum…alright?” Barry said calmly. “I’m just…asking you…to think about this. It would mean a lot to me.”

“Barry, even if I wanted to,” Cisco said, avoiding eye contact, “I don’t know that I _can_. The cure is pretty permanent.”

“And so was being a meta until you created it,” Barry said, causing Cisco to look back at him. “I believe in you. And I’ll stand by whatever you decide.”

Barry pulled Cisco into a hug. He could feel and hear Cisco’s heavy and unsteady breathing. He pulled him in tighter. Barry knew he was asking a _lot _of Cisco. He knew how much the cure had put him at peace. He didn’t want to jeopardize that…but the end of the world was coming. And they couldn’t afford to not have all hands on deck. Especially their most powerful. _You’re_ _too good of a superhero to lose those powers_, Barry remembered telling him in the future. One of his biggest regrets was not telling _this _Cisco that before he stripped himself of them. He let go and looked Cisco in the eyes one last time—making sure he was okay—before turning around and heading out.

“I’m sorry, Barry,” Cisco whispered. “But I can’t do the same for you.”

Cisco turned around and sat back down. He minimized the window with the security footage on it and went into his files to pull up the ‘Freaky Friday’ Folder—all the data he, Caitlin, and Felicity had gathered about the red skies and lightning, the readings Curtis had taken from the Book of Destiny, everything. If he could save Barry Allen once, he could certainly do it again.


End file.
